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Elvira Carrizal-Dukes is an Assistant Professor at El Paso Community College. She is the writer for DUKEScomics. She was born and raised in the El Paso, Texas borderland region. Elvira is also currently a doctoral student in the Rhetoric and Composition program at The University of Texas at El Paso where she teaches Chicana/o Cinema and Chicana/o Theatre. Elvira earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Film from Columbia University in the City of New York. She earned her bachelors degree in Journalism and Chicano Studies with a minor in Theatre Arts from the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities.

Through comic books Elvira reaches visual readers. She wrote her first graphic novel called A.W.O.L. featuring a Latina soldier on unauthorized leave from the military. She is searching for her kidnapped brother in the El Paso, Texas, Mexico/US border region. El Paso is home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest military installations in the U.S. Much of Elvira’s work is centered around her hometown and the socio/cultural/historical contexts of the El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, borderland.

Elvira is also the author of Dukes of Chuco (DUKEScomics, 2018), as well as a play Father’s Shadow / Sombra del Padre (Dramatic Publishing, 2001). Elvira is a filmmaker and the writer, director, and producer of Mariposa (2006) and The Weeping Pimp (2015).

Ronnie Dukes is the artist for DUKEScomics. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Ronnie created this independent publishing company in order to create original work and to begin building its collection. His first major comic book project is called A.W.O.L., an over 100-page full color graphic novel. Ronnie did the penciling, inking, coloring, lettering, and layout for A.W.O.L. The book premiered in 2017 at El Paso Comic Con. Ronnie’s first Artist Alley participation at a comic convention was at Wizard World Chicago in 2012 where he sold original art using quill and ink on handmade paper. He has also been invited to exhibit his work at Tokyo Comic Con, SÕL-CON, Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, MexAmeriCon, and FanX. Ronnie’s background in animation, painting, and mixed media greatly influences his work in comic books.